Novice teachers' job satisfaction and coping strategies: Overcoming contextual challenges at Qatari government schools

Abstract

The first years of teaching are challenging and how novice teachers cope has important implications for their satisfaction. The current study examined the perceptions of five novice and five experienced teachers about sources of their job satisfaction, challenges they faced, and coping strategies they employed. Findings show that novice teachers’ satisfaction, or otherwise, was related to their aspirations, self-efficacy beliefs, and school context. They experienced challenges that differed from their more experienced peers. The paper highlights the similarities and differences in the coping strategies employed by the participants. Implications for future research and the development of support practices are presented.